The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for inserting an electrical contact into a bore in an insulator of an electrical connector.
An electrical connector normally utilizes an insulator body in which the electrical contacts are mounted. In some connectors the body is formed of a resilient material. The contacts are mounted within bores extending through the body. In addition, sometimes the contacts are retained in the bores in the body by means of an integral resilient flange which extends radially inwardly from the wall of the bore, and engages within a cooperating groove formed within the contact. Also, it is conventional practice to provide annular sealing ribs in the wall of the bore for making sealing engagement with the conductor which is connected to the contact and extends through the rear of the bore. The insertion of contacts directly into the bores in the insulator sometimes causes damage to either the contact retention flange or the sealing ribs. Also, insertion of the contacts is slow and often difficult. These problems are most serious when the contact is a socket contact having a blunt forward end of relatively large cross-section. It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for quickly and easily inserting contacts into a bore formed in the insulator of an electrical connector without damaging any sealing or retention ribs formed on the wall of the bore.